Protection
by Azrael Cameo
Summary: Sherlock was used to threats from psychopaths, serial killers and criminals. However, he wasn't used to being threatened by a six-year-old. Focus on Molly. Slight Sherlolly.


Alright, Fanfic #3! So, this is a little emotional but it gets more light hearted at the end I think. Hope you enjoy this random one-shot, that I had to write since the idea wouldn't leave me alone. I wrote it quickly and didn't really edit that much so sorry about grammar. Oh and Slightly sherlolly. Slightly. Emphasis on Molly's familial relationships.

Protection by Azrael Cameo

Molly Hooper hadn't expected any of this to happen. She remembered that moment of paralysis as she got the call informing her of her older brother's fatal car accident.

"_Dr. Hooper? Are you still there_?" questioned the hospital employee on the other end of the line. Molly took in a deep breath, surprised that she wasn't able to cry.

"Y-Yes. Yes, I am" Molly responded quietly, hands trembling, as she raised the arm that held her phone back up to her ear, after it had dropped to her side in shock.

"_Dr. Hooper, this call is also about your nephew, Cameron Hooper. You are his only surviving relative_…" the voice faded out as Molly though about her six year old nephew. His mother, her sister-in-law, passed away when he was only a few months old. Her brother, Mason Hooper had been a strong single father and taken care of Cameron with the utmost care. Molly and Mason had a strange relationship as siblings; they were not quite best friends or rivals and always stayed out of each other's business; however, when they needed each other, they were there for the other person. Mason was a financial consultant for small firms; His success in the business world came from his unparalleled ability to plan.

In a brief moment of denial and hysteria, Molly almost wondered if this was some sort of joke or drill that her brother was putting her through. To see how she would handle it, to see if she was prepared. She snapped out of her denial when she started to hear snippets of the voice on the other of the line

"…_custody of Cameron Hooper_…"

Molly was still in a haze,

"_Injured_"…

"_recovering_".

Molly was suddenly brought back to reality when she realized that her nephew needed her.

"Yes, may I get the room number?" Molly interjected hurriedly.

Molly'd breath caught as she saw the small boy sleeping in the hospital stretcher, while the heart monitor announced his every heartbeat. Molly had spoken to the attending doctor and the Police Officer who had responded to the emergency call beforehand. They told her that Cameron's injuries were mild. Mason when realizing the other car involved in the crash had trajectory for the side of his car had turned the car so that he would face the brunt of the impact and avoid Cameron. Mason had saved him. He had saved his son. She was also informed that Cameron already knew about his father's fate. Molly's heart broke looking at the young boy. She wasn't sure if it was better that he already knew; it might have been better if she had been the one to break the news to him; however, if that were the case she did not know if she would even be able to tell him.

She hadn't realized how long it had been since she had visited her brother and her nephew. A year had passed, now that she thought about it. Cameron had been five years old the last time Molly had visited for his birthday party. He had grown a lot since that time. His previously round face had lost some of its baby fat and showcased the heart shaped jawline that all the Hoopers tended to have. Molly quietly walked up to the side of her nephew's bed and pushed his auburn locks to the side as she leaned down to kiss his forehead. After that, she seated herself next to him, waiting for him to wake up.

A little while later, Molly saw Cameron awakening from his sleep. His eyes shot open and his brown eyes locked with hers. The instant he recognized her familiar face, he started crying. "Aunt Molly, Aunt Molly Dad…He…" He choked out through heavy breaths and tears. Molly stood up and enveloped her nephew in her arms trying to calm him whispering "shhhh…." She didn't know what else to do. She held him and let him grieve absorbing his sobs. A few seconds later, Molly tried to control her tears, but it all hit her at once, Mason's death, and Cameron's grief. They both grieved together.

It had been a month and a half since Mason's death and funeral. Cameron had moved in with Molly and returned to school. Molly was constantly worried about him and how he was adjusting. She was waiting for him to break under the stress of losing the only parent he knew, moving to live with her and going to a brand new school. Yet, the young boy had not. He listened to Molly and gave her no trouble. It had not occurred to Molly how mature he had been for a young six-year-old boy. They had routines. The child psychologist at Cameron's school told her to establish as much stability in his life as she could. So, Molly had adopted standard hours at work and picked him up at school which was conveniently located just a few minutes outside of Barts'. They learned a lot about each other's preferences. Cameron hardly ever showed any signs of distress. Except after a couple weeks, she occasionally would wake up to find him curled up next to her, hugging her. She figured he had been having bad dreams which seemed likely after what he had gone through these past few months.

One morning she decided to approach the topic with him while he sat pouring milk into his bowl of cereal. Molly always attempted to do those things for him, but he was adamant in wanting to do those things himself.

"Cameron?" she questioned as she sat next to him at her dining table taking a sip of her coffee.

Cameron's chocolate brown eyes looked at her as he turned his to the side at an angle and responded "Yeah Aunt Molly."

"Sweetie, are you having a hard time sleeping?" Molly asked concerned.  
"No, not really" He said taking a big bite of his cereal, cheeks puffy as he chewed.

"Oh really? I thought that might have been since you wake up in the middle of the night and come into my room to sleep" Molly explained.

"Oh, no. Aunty Molly, I was just protecting you" he innocently reaching for his glass of orange juice.

"Protecting me? From what? " Molly asked as she looked at him quizzically.

He swallowed his sip of orange juice and went back to picking up his spoon. "Yeah, from the bad guys in your dreams, Aunt Molly. You were crying in your dreams. So I hug you, when you have bad dreams. Dad used to hug me and protect me from the bad guys in my dreams. He said that you always protect who you love. " Cameron explained as he put his bowl in the sink.

Molly looked at him in surprise. She hadn't realized that he had known she was having nightmares. They were usually about losing him, or watching her brother in the seconds before the crash. But this had shocked her, this entire time she was trying to look after him and he was the one looking after her.

Later, Molly was dropping Cameron off at school when she bent down to help him with his backpack.

"Cameron, I want to thank you. For protecting me. I'm a lucky aunt, I love you so much." she said as she gave him a kiss on the forehead.

Cameron smiled a big boyish smile at her and hugged her around her legs. "Don't worry Aunt Molly. I love you too, I'll always protect you" He said happily before he said goodbye and ran into his classroom.

Molly smiled before she headed back towards work.

Sherlock Holmes walked into her lab that day making various demands for a case. He hadn't been at the lab in over two months since he was working abroad in America for a couple cases. Chicago. And Santa Monica. He and John were back. John was with Mary the moment they were back from their cases though. He was managing this case by himself, irritated that he didn't have his sidekick. But he did have Molly, which he was pleased with. What he hadn't expected was a run-in with her nephew.

Sherlock was not particularly good or bad with children. He was indifferent towards them because he hardly ever knew how to respond to them. He was introduced to him when the doors to the lab opened and Molly rushed over.

"Cameron, what are you doing here, I was going to pick you up. Were you let out early?" She said helping him out of his coat and backpack after glancing at the time. Sherlock looked at her fussing over him, smiling and happy. He was aware of the situation, he had heard about it from Mrs. Hudson who had run into Molly and the young boy when they went grocery shopping. Mrs. Hudson had made other comments about how small and adorable the boy was. He had deleted those comments from his hard drive though, deeming them unnecessary.

"I'm going to go get you something to eat Cam, you must be hungry" Molly said after situating the boy at a workdesk so that he could work on some homework.

"Thank you. Aunt Molly" Cameron responded with a wide smile.

However, before Molly left, Sherlock barked a few orders at her never once moving his eyes from the microscope. Molly laughed and responded "Yes, Sherlock" in compliance and was out the door. A moment had past until Sherlock heard an "Oi" from the other side of the room. Sherlock did not respond ignoring the voice. Then sounds were heard as Cameron made his way down the big stool he had been sitting on and he made his way over to the tall dark-haired man who even while sitting down loomed over him. Cameron jabbed him in the leg twice, "Oi Mister Sherlock" Cameron spat out. Sherlock looked down at the small six year old into his angry brown eyes.

"Don't shout at my Aunt like that. I won't let you get away with it," Cameron threatened jabbing at Sherlock's legs again, looking about as menacing as a kitten thinking it was a Lion.

" and why would I listen to you?" Sherlock asked back continuing his gaze on the defensive young boy.

"because Molly is my aunt, and I love her. It's my job to protect her. I won't let bad guys like you be mean to her!" Cameron Justified.

Sherlock and Cameron looked at each other as if they were both trying to win a staring contest. Cameron was glaring, while Sherlock look back at him amusedly. Molly was about to walk in with everything the boys needed.

Finally, Sherlock opened his mouth, "Well then…consider, myself warned Mr. Hooper. I would protect your aunt as well." Cameron smiled at him and rushed to help Molly as she entered oblivious to their conversation. Sherlock glanced at the distracted pair and felt a small smirk slip onto his face before he let it drop back into his stoic expression, focusing his attention back onto the case.

END

Hope you liked this one shot! Hopefully it wasn't too emotional! Let me know what you think of it! I tried really hard to keep them in character! Honest Reviews really do help. Thanks for reading guys!


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